She had taken his blood successfully. What if he mated her? Could he give up the fate he’d seen for so long to save her? Was it even possible?
“Garrett,” she breathed. “Look.”
He glanced toward the nearest home to see two fawns frolicking near some bushes. Their mama was off to the side, watching them. At second glance, Garrett noticed the bushes had pretty flowers blooming. The twins ran over and started eating them.
“They’re too cute,” Dessie murmured, her cheeks pink from the slight autumn wind. “It’s late in the season for flowers. You must’ve had a warm summer and fall here.”
“Maybe.” Darkness was already falling, and stars emerged high in the far distance of the sky. He needed to get her inside, where it was warm. “I ordered dinner, so it should be at the house when we arrive.” He’d also asked his sister to have somebody find clothing for Dessie, and hopefully that would be at the house as well. She hadn’t complained once about having only a few borrowed clothes, and she deserved better. “Are you hungry?”
“Sure.” She traipsed along next to him, her eyes wide as if she didn’t want to miss one thing on the walk.
He felt a little like a dork, but he drew a package from his pocket to hand to her.
She stumbled, looking down at the hard-bound book. “What is this?” Her voice hushed.
“It’s an ancient tome from the demon archives that I think holds some history of the early romances of the people. There’s kind of a clue to the code in the back.”
She hopped, delight filtering across her face. “Garrett,” she breathed. “I love it.” Her smile was dazzling. “Thank you.”
He grinned. Many women would’ve wanted jewels, but not Destiny. Books were the way to her heart.
His phone buzzed, and he lifted it to his ear. “Kayrs.”
“Hey, it’s Max. I’ve checked out both of the boarding schools and somehow scared the hell out of the headmaster of Stoneton Hills. He wouldn’t give me your girl’s records, but Chalton said he can hack them. The place is set on fifty acres of rolling hills—with a heavy emphasis on religion. Guest lecturers ranged from priests to nuns to Buddhist monks. I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, to be honest. Just a bunch of kids going to high school and the attached college.”
Garrett gave in to temptation and drew Dessie closer to his side, shielding her from the gathering wind. “That’s what I figured. Anything on physical education?”
“Yeah. They offer everything from long-distance running to archery for PE, and two semesters of self-defense are required. Seems like a good idea.”
Garrett turned down his walkway toward the front door. Lights glowed a warm welcome from inside the home. “Okay. Thanks for checking it out for me, Max. You’d better head home for the symposium. Sarah will kill you if you’re not here.” If there was anything Max’s mate loved, it was a good ball. The teacher liked to get dressed up for some reason.
“On my way, G. Can’t wait to see you.” Max ended the call.
“Who’s Max?” Dessie asked.
Garrett opened the door and ushered her inside the heated space. “Max is one of my uncles. Dage brought him home years before I was born, centuries really, and he became one of the family. He’s mated to a sweet woman named Sarah, and they have a little girl they adopted who’s adorable. You’ll meet them all.” It was hard to even think about a stupid party when there were far more important issues in his life right now.
She took off the jacket and hung it in the closet. “I can tell you’re upset, and I’m really sorry about that. Everyone dies at some point, probably even you someday.” She turned to face him, her eyes the deep lapis of summer flowers. “Not even you can control this, Garrett.” Her grin was impish even as sadness flowed from her.
The smell of something delicious caught his attention, and he took her hand to lead her into the kitchen, where the table had been set and some fancy chicken dish and tons of sides had been laid out.
She smiled. “You have a good life here.”
He forced a grin. “Yeah. Guess so. Let’s eat.” He pulled out her chair, which was a light wood with dark gray cushions.
She sat and waited for him to join her. “You need to stop with the gentle calmness. It’s not you. Be you.”
He frowned and dished out the food. “I am being me.”
“You’re acting like I’m breakable. I’m not.”
The hell she wasn’t. Even at full strength and without a tumor the size of a golf ball in her head, she was infinitely fragile. “All right.”
“Stop appeasing the dying girl,” she snapped, her chin coming up.
“Stop calling yourself the dying girl,” he snapped right back, all of his good intentions flying out the door.
She grinned. “That’s better.”
